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Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

Aerith's importance in this title

①Aerith's fate is one of Rebirth's most important themes

[Kitase]: Aerith's fate is one of the most important themes in the story of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. I really want people to experience it intuitively as they play the game, so I won't say too much here, but when comparing this scene with how it was presented in the original, I believe viewers will feel a tremendous emotional dimension from the added details in the character portrayal.

I invite everyone to play Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and see for themselves how modern players will react to Aerith's fate—a moment that, 27 years ago, delivered such an intense emotional shock to so many players.

② Aerith's fate is one of the most striking parts of Rebirth

In the Forgotten Capital, what fate will befall Aerith? That is one of the most striking parts of this title。 But for now, it is difficult to declare in a single sentence whether she lives or dies. The reason is that the companions believe "Aerith has perished," while Cloud feels "Aerith is still alive." The scene in which Sephiroth strikes Aerith is not directly depicted either, so there may be all kinds of interpretations. Here again, focusing on the difference in perception between the companions and Cloud, let's try to organize the information.

③ Aerith is a key figure

—What meaning is contained in the word "Rebirth" in the title?

[Nomura]: Like the "Remake" of the previous title, it can be interpreted in various ways, but as a basic premise, I wanted to approach the meaning of "Remake." On top of that, to make it enjoyable even for those starting from the second installment, I looked for a word that would make people feel "you can start from here." Furthermore, in the story of FF7, Aerith is a key figure, but at the same time this is also Sephiroth's story. In that sense, compared to "Remake," "Rebirth" is a word that focuses even more on the characters.

⑤Aerith's fate is one of the two most important elements of the OG depicted in Rebirth

[Kitase]: As the second installment in the Final Fantasy VII Remake project, this title depicts the two most important elements of the original: the first is the grand world map exploration, and the second is the part depicting Aerith's fate。

⑥Rebirth's climax revolves around Aerith's fate

【Naoki Hamaguchi】: In Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, the story's climax centers on Aerith's fate. We felt that simply creating a single powerful scene would not be enough to fully convey the emotions of that moment. Therefore, throughout the entire game, we put great care into depicting the relationships between party members and the evolution of their emotions. As they travel together, talk, and occasionally clash, these bonds gradually deepen. It is precisely because of this accumulation that the emotions of the climax feel real.

The core concept of REBIRTH is "bonds". We placed this at the heart of every aspect of the game design—not only the narrative, but also the combat mechanics, character growth, and upgrade systems. Through this consistent design philosophy, we created an experience that leads players to follow Aerith's fate. If this approach ultimately deeply moves many players, then as creators, nothing would make us happier.

⑦In the world I will protect, are you there? Centered on Aerith

——In the previous installment, Cloud broke through the walls of fate, and I believe many players anticipated that Aerith's fate would also change.

【Kitase】: Indeed, some people may have imagined such a divergence. However, carrying over the main content of the original story is also a core concept of our remake project...

【Nomura】: To be honest, in order to keep everyone from forming all kinds of expectations, in the period before release we wanted to avoid letting attention focus solely on Aerith's fate. So when Final Fantasy VII Rebirth first began its promotion, we deliberately avoided this topic. But in particular, the media kept asking "What will happen to Aerith?", so I steeled myself for the fact that we would have to touch on this topic. The promotional tagline was also built around Aerith's fate: "In the world I will protect, are you there?"

⑧Focusing on Aerith's fate

——As the second installment of the remake project, what kind of work did you want Final Fantasy VII Rebirth to be?

【Nomura】: The original Final Fantasy VII had "life" as its grand theme, while Final Fantasy VII Rebirth builds its script and game systems around the keyword "bonds". In the overall story as well, the parts depicting relationships between characters are emphasized, so this installment emphasizes "bonds" in everything, including the systems.

【Kitase】: In my view, since this installment's story goes up to the Forgotten Capital after all, players' attention will be focused on Aerith's fate, especially those who have played the original. Therefore, I thought it would be best if the construction of every element—the script, the gameplay, and so on—could maximize the build-up so that that scene reaches its climax.

⑨The scene everyone cares about most

【Kitase】: The story moves at a quick pace, and there will be many plot twists, and the scene everyone cares about most is also……

⑩The Forgotten Capital is the biggest point where fate occurs

The previous film described the process of escaping Midgar. Where do you intend to take the story in this work?

【Nomura】: As mentioned many times before, the order in which the world is explored in this game is not the same as in the original, though there are some parallels. For example, Wutai, as a major location, has been excluded from the route in this installment, and will instead be visitable in the next game. Although the order has changed somewhat, in this work the greatest fate of Final Fantasy VII awaits at the "Forgotten Capital"。

The world of the Lifestream symbolizes Aerith

The confrontation between the world of the Lifestream symbolizing Aerith and the world of the meteor symbolizing Sephiroth is an important scene hinting at the showdown between the two.

Matching the appearance of the strongest enemy, Sephiroth, pay attention to the world destroyed by the meteor.

Game trophy list

Chapter 12 trophy Full of memories, a date: the ropeway where you date Aerith

Chapter 13 trophy The time of the promise: Aerith hides the Black Materia

Chapter 14 trophy Reunion: after the final battle with Sephiroth ends

Platinum trophy A wish to the planet: Aerith's prayer

Side content in the end credits

Optional side events in the ending are all about the choices regarding Aerith

① The beach tag branching point

② The beach dialogue side event

③ The Nibel village side event

④ The Rosa Princess actress side event

A lonely childhood

Childhood loneliness and her present companions

Because Aerith was born as a Cetra, she lived a confined life in the Shinra Building from as far back as she can remember. Even after being taken in by her adoptive mother Elmyra and starting a new life in the Sector 5 slums, she had no one who could be called a friend; the only ones who share her childhood memories are the Turks who were in charge of watching her. Therefore she deeply values the bonds formed through her chance encounters with her present companions。

She holds a strong sense of envy and admiration。

The lifespan of the Cetra

Bugenhagen (130 years old) carries the blood of the Settra who once developed this region, which is partly the reason for his longevity.

The City of the Ancients CG holds both hope and despair

Concept artist: Maiko Takamiya

Using the keyword "City of the Ancients" as a basis, I freely set the concepts and imagery and drew the images (the original artwork serving as the basis for the CG). In this title, in order to let people imagine all kinds of futures for Aerith, I made a point of creating a balanced composition that holds both a prayer of hope and a sense of despair. I also paid attention to the level of polish, so I would be delighted if everyone could enjoy the details.

*Final Fantasy VII Rebirth MATERIAL ULTIMANIA, page 7*

Surface cheerfulness and complicated feelings within

Main character modeling artist: Yuki Saeki

Compared with other characters, Aerith's skin is fairer, so we adjusted the lighting to avoid overexposure. In the previous title's cutscenes, thanks to the animators' efforts, Aerith's expressions moved richly and adorably, so this time as well, the high-end model was created in collaboration with each department.

Layout artist: Hiroyuki Honda

The CG motion of hugging herself is both an unconscious act of self-protection against anxiety about the future and a repressed side of her, meant to keep the hope inside her from leaking out. Through this motion, we expressed her surface cheerfulness and the complicated feelings within her。

*Final Fantasy VII Rebirth MATERIAL ULTIMANIA, page 24*

Following Aerith will take you to good restaurants

【Host】: In Rebirth, Cloud and his companions tasted dishes from all over. In reality, which character among the group do you think would be the one we'd all consider a "foodie" (someone really good at discovering good eats)?

【Hamaguchi】: First of all, Yuffie is full of curiosity, so she would try all kinds of challenges at various trendy restaurants. As for Aerith, she does her research beforehand, so the odds are high that she'll end up at a place with good food. As for Cloud, he'd say "not interested" and get dragged along, but as a result, he'd be taken to all sorts of delicious places.

Shanghai SE store Hamaguchi in-person talk autograph event

Princess Rosa set

Only next to Aerith was the design blueprint for the Rosa staff placed.

Character art work:

The crown design for the character Roberto Ferrari-Ruza was inspired by the Statue of Liberty in New York and clock hands. In the cane design as well, elements such as feathers and gears were incorporated。

Character artist: Daiki Hayasaka Aerith is the character with the most costume changes in this game, including variations such as letting her hair down or getting her skin dirty, with roughly 20 different variants. Since there are many memorable scenes and close-ups of her face, the rendering of her hair was also greatly improved compared to the previous game.

*Page 49 of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth MATERIAL ULTIMANIA*

Concept art

Concept art from Final Fantasy VII Rebirth MATERIAL ULTIMANIA

Storyboard art

Storyboard art from Final Fantasy VII Rebirth MATERIAL ULTIMANIA

Cetra script

You need to investigate and recover "an unidentified substance emitting unknown energy" and report to Chadley. Search the communication towers for information on Materia hidden in each region of the world. Spacetime distortions occur around the Materia, and mysterious events take place."

No Promises to Keep

① Lyrics, composition, and vocals

This song was composed by Nobuo Uematsu, with lyrics by Kazushige Nojima and vocals by Loren Allred.

② A beloved character

[Loren]: It is a great honor that such a legendary innovator in the music world thought of me and had me perform the beloved character Aerith for this new game.

③ Singing Aerith's vulnerability and purity

I wanted to understand Aerith better, and to better portray her relationship with Cloud. I wanted to express her vulnerability and purity. To do that, I wanted to set aside my usual performance style and become immersed in the character of Aerith.

④ Aerith's love song

【Uematsu】: "No Promises to Keep" is a Aerith's love song。

⑤This time's song "also" has to do with Aerith

[Uematsu]: In my own mind, the existence of Aerith is expressed in the piece "Aerith's Theme," which gives an impression of being somewhat unfortunate and ephemeral. Although I understood from the start that this time's song wasalso related to Aerith, the melody of the sad "Aerith's Theme" does not appear in the song. I wanted to express the strong heart hidden within Aerith, in contrast to that image. After the recording was finished, I listened to it several times over, and I felt that Aerith, who had until then been like a resident of a fantasy world, seemed like a real living person. Loren Allred's vocals—ephemeral at times, sometimes intense and powerful—surely gave a sense of reality to the existence of Aerith. I wrote a ballad in my own style for the first time in a while, and I found it enjoyable.

⑥This song is not about any one specific person

This song represents Aerith's feelings, but I'm sure it doesn't sound like she's singing about Cloud, or Zack, or any specific person. Of course, there's nothing wrong with love songs. Although the lyrics do have elements like that — meeting someone who changes your world, and so on — it's also about the heavy burden of her destiny as the last Cetra. If you will, destiny is her own "promise," something that has bound her all along and that she wants to escape from.

—— The lyrics of "No Promises to Keep," sung by Aerith, were handled by Mr. Nojima. What ideas went into writing them?

[Nojima]: In the script, Aerith wrote the lyrics in the inn at Gold Saucer, so I wrote them while putting myself in Aerith's shoes too (laughs). Content-wise, it tells of meeting someone for the first time, but it's not written to any specific individual like Cloud or Zack; rather, more universal feelings were woven in. I think that in Aerith's heart, there was a wish that encounters with others happen not by destiny, but by chance. Because she bears the destiny of being a descendant of the Cetra, she has struggled with it all this time. To live far away from that cruel destiny, among encounters with the people she loves most... it contains a wish like that of Aerith's.

⑦ It was decided at least three years before release that this would be Aerith's song

[Uematsu]: Probably simply because Mr. Nomura likes Ms. Loren's voice, and felt it matched the world of the work well. We've known Mr. Nomura's tastes for a long time. The things he cares about usually match our own sensibilities. Ms. Loren actually finished recording the theme song two years ago, so the meeting itself was probably about three years ago... or even earlier. In any case, by the time of that meeting, it was already decided that this was a song sung by Aerith."

⑧ Immediately thought of Aerith's Theme

[Loren]: First of all, I fell in love with the melody. When I first heard it, I immediately thought of "Aerith's Theme". The lyrics were also beautiful, which made me very excited. In high school, I dated someone who often played the Final Fantasy series games, so through him I knew a little about the world of the games.

⑨ A fleeting impression

── The character Aerith, much like "Aerith's Theme," gives an impression of being fleeting/ephemeral. On the other hand, she is a warm figure who accepts and guides the anguished protagonist Cloud. This time's "No Promises to Keep" expresses Aerith's inner strength — how do you view this point?

[Uematsu]: Well, "Aerith's Theme" has a melody like ♪den den den~, den den den~♪, and I felt that attaching lyrics to that melody would come across as too clichéd — no one would want to hear that, right? In "No Promises to Keep," I incorporated a bit of that melody in the accompaniment.

I think the reason Aerith sings with that kind of tone, belting out those high notes in "No Promises to Keep," must be that she has very strong emotions. So while composing, I also thought, "If Aerith can sing such high notes, everyone will surely be surprised," and "She must have something she really wants to convey — I'm sure everyone will understand." Final Fantasy VII fans surely never expected Aerith's singing voice to be so powerful.

⑩ Synced with memorable scenes

[Kitase]: At the initial discussions, the theme song this time was described as "a narrative-style female vocal track played only at the ending." But I thought that, like FF8 and FF10, syncing it with memorable scenes in the main story might make it more memorable, so I later added the singing scene in the Gold Saucer play.

For Hamaguchi, the most memorable thing was losing Aerith

[Hamaguchi]: What left the deepest impression when I first played FF7? I often say: it was losing Aerith.

[Audience]: (applause)

[Hamaguchi]: Thank you (laughs)

That was an era before the internet was widespread, so my friends at the time and I discussed and researched very passionately how to bring her back to life. Looking back now, that gaming experience was itself a kind of joy.

Nojima's favorite line of dialogue among the characters he wrote

[Nojima]: Aerith on the water tower, I'd say. The second time you talk to her, setting aside the concept of a hometown altogether, she doesn't even share any childhood memories with you— her line, tone of voice, expression, the swaying of her feet when her feelings become too much to process. Flawless (laughs).

Uematsu likes Aerith

Thanks to Final Fantasy VII fans around the world, Aerith has not been forgotten to this day — if anything, her presence has only grown stronger.

It's probably hard to find anywhere else a game character who has been continuously supported by so many people for such a long time.

As one of the people who loves Aerith, I'll cheer her on from the melody front.

It would be great if Aerith fans all over the world could enjoy it.

Please be sure to read the Japanese lyrics written by Kazushige Nojima.

Aerith's sorrowful feelings will surely resonate directly in everyone's hearts.

I hope this song and its lyrics will add even more charm to Aerith...

Uematsu wore a braided hairstyle when recording the theme song

Before the first recording session, I completed the first braid of my life. But then I watched the footage, and the braid didn't show at all!

Here is the braid I mentioned yesterday

Suzuki believes Aerith's theme song adds a lot to her character

[Suzuki]: Also, I think every character has a strong, memorable theme song, and just like with Aerith, I believe it adds a lot to her as well.

[ACOVINO]: Aerith is a character beloved by fans in the original game.

(Insert: Nobuo Uematsu's "Aerith's Theme")

[ACOVINO]: Video game music expert Mat Ombler said that players back then were deeply saddened when they heard this piece.

[MAT OMBLER]: When the theme song plays, where the pointer lands and how the entire scene is presented—many people have experienced that sense of loss.

Suzuki receives yellow flowers from an Aerith cosplayer

In the weekly report of the Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Orchestra World Tour, Mitsuto Suzuki received yellow flowers from an Aerith cosplayer, pinned them to his chest, and said he was very happy.

CV Briana White loves Aerith

"I got caught up in some of the ship wars, but I don't care anymore."

"Don't ask me which pairing I stand for—I love them all."

"It's an RPG—whatever you choose is canon for you. You can date Aerith, you can date Tifa, or you can date neither; it's all up to you. Don't force your views on others or tell them what's right or wrong. The game was designed that way."

She said she is very grateful to have gotten this role, and that she loves Aerith very much—the character is complex, unique, and special. Some actors go their whole lives hoping to encounter a role like this but never get one.

Britt Baron (Tifa's English VA) likes Aerith or Yuffie the most

Tifa's English voice actress Britt Baron said in an interview, "Personally, in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, my favorite characters are probably Aerith or Yuffie. They're both so much fun."

"I'm not saying Tifa isn't fun, but I really like Aerith's personality—kind of sarcastic yet straightforward, and she's very confident too. Same with Yuffie. They both bring energy. I think Tifa is more grounded.

Suzie Yeung (Yuffie's English VA) says her favorite character is Aerith

Aside from Yuffie, who is your favorite character?

My favorite character is probably Aerith. She's like the light of the whole party—especially in Final Fantasy VII Remake, when Cloud is being very serious and brooding, Aerith brings a lot of lightheartedness to the scenes. I really love that about her. She's lively and bold, yet kind and gentle. In Final Fantasy VII Remake, all the characters show many different sides, and I truly admire her portrayal. I think Briana White brings her to life wonderfully vividly.

Favorite ship is Cloud x Aerith

Pre-release promotional animation

Animation 1

Animation 2

Tifa and Cloud's English voice actors talk about Aerith

[Questioner]: How do you view that strongest, most wonderful character, I mean Aerith.

[Cody]: I love her to death, I really love this character. I think Aerith is a pinnacle of this series; without her everything would be different. I mean, I don't want to spoil too much. But there's a lot in the third game that's that... a huge driving force. But if you think she's as strong as Cloud, you'd be wrong.

[Brett]: Yes, Aerith is wonderful. And I think her journey... that character... oh my... really carries a very heavy weight, considering the fates of so many other things rest on her shoulders to some extent.

[Cody]: While acting like it's nothing, I might add.

[Brett]: Just like that, very casually. So I think she's incredible, love her. I love the dynamic between them, especially when she's teasing Cloud.

FF7RB and FF7EC collaboration

To celebrate FF7RB launching on PC on January 23, a Loveless collaboration event for FF7RB begins on January 30, with the weapon being Gamblanthain with Cetra characteristics obtained from the Temple of the Ancients.

Yamanote Line promotion

Rebirth world tour concert

Princess Rosa is the Aerith route, and the stage for singing "No Promises to Keep" is the Aerith route

The music that left the deepest impression on Toriyama Motomu is Aerith's theme

February 21, 2024, The New York Times

On February 20, The New York Times published a special report on Aerith, with a close-up of her as the accompanying image.

The report revisits the shocking death of Aerith in the 1997 original game, comparing it to the death of Dumbledore in Harry Potter. It discusses, from the angles of emotional impact, visuals, music and more, how her death profoundly influenced game creators in the decades that followed.

"Aerith symbolizes Cloud's hope," said Thierry Boulanger, game designer of Sea of Stars, in the report; he was only 12 the first time he played Final Fantasy VII. "(Her death) was the first time I experienced grief."

Although the article asks "will they kill Aerith again this time," it seems to have already taken that scene's occurrence for granted. The report quotes Cody Christian, Cloud's English voice actor, as saying that the emotional impact of that scene in the original will carry over in Rebirth, and that the voice actors' performances will instill the characters with even more empathy.

RB London promotion

Saudi Arabia exhibition

Display of lines at the entrance

FFTCG 2024 Global Tournament

Famitsu Best Voice Actor Awards

Aerith's Japanese voice actress Maaya Sakamoto wins a Famitsu Best Voice Actor Award

Famitsu four-panel comic

LINE stickers

Sony NURO Hikari collaboration

JR Central Lines collaboration celebration illustration

TGS2024

The video prominently promoted Aerith's music box.

TGS2026

Aerith's theme song was featured as one of the rotating tracks at the venue

As Sephiroth closes in, offering a prayer in the Forgotten Capital—.

Golden Joystick Best Supporting Performance

Briana White (Aerith's English voice actress) won the Best Supporting Performance award; before the announcement, Hamaguchi campaigned for her.

FF7RB collaboration with Porsche

39th Japan Gold Disc Award

The original soundtrack of the game Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. Carefully selected songs, including the theme song "No Promises to Keep LOVELESS Ver." composed by Nobuo Uematsu, were recorded onto a large set of 7 CDs. (The first-print limited edition is an 8-disc set)

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is a remake of the original Final Fantasy VII released in 1997. Based on the original story from "the Forgotten Capital," it is the second entry in the Final Fantasy VII Remake project trilogy.